Elastomeric side panel for use with convertible absorbent articles

ABSTRACT

Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, incontinent briefs, diaper holders, training pants and the like, having elastomeric ear panels and a fastening system that provides the user with different options as to how the absorbent article may be fitted to and removed from the wearer. The absorbent articles allow the wearer to choose between conventional and pull-on diaper configurations, or combinations thereof, and properly and comfortably fit a large range of wearer sizes. Further, the absorbent articles can be pulled on and/or off as a pant. This feature is provided by the ear panels which maintain sufficient tension to hold the diaper on the wearer throughout the period of use without harming the wearer&#39;s skin, while providing enough stretch to allow the diaper to be pulled up or down over the wearer&#39;s hips. The fastening system is refastenable for convenience yet strong enough to maintain the diaper in a fastened configuration without becoming detached if the diaper is pulled on or off the wearer. The front ear flaps are folded such that at least a portion of each of the front ear flaps extends laterally inwardly from the longitudinal edge of the containment assembly and are releasably bonded in the folded configuration. The first and second closure members are disposed at an angel to the longitudinal and lateral centerline of the absorbent article.

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/627,672, filed Apr. 2,1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,545.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as diapers,incontinence briefs, diaper holders, training pants and the like, andmore particularly, to absorbent articles having elastomeric ear panelsand a fastening system that provides the user with different options asto how the diaper will be fitted to the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Infants and other incontinent individuals wear absorbent articles suchas diapers to receive and contain urine and other body exudates.Absorbent articles function both to contain discharged materials and toisolate the materials from the body of the wearer and from the wearer'sgarments and bed clothing. Disposable absorbent articles having manydifferent basic designs are known to the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Re.No. 26,152, entitled "Disposable Diaper" issued to Duncan and Baker onJan. 31, 1967 describes a conventional disposable diaper which hasachieved worldwide acceptance and commercial success. Further, U.S. Pat.No. 5,246,433 entitled "Elasticized Disposable Training Pant And Methodof Making The Same" issued to Hasse et al. on Sep. 21, 1993 discloses aunitary disposable absorbent article that can be used as a trainingpant.

In the market today, the consumer has a number of different basic diaperdesigns to choose from depending on the desired options, comfort andcost, including conventional diapers, belted diapers, and "pull-on" typediapers or training pants. However, many of the absorbent articles onthe market today are capable of fitting only a small range of wearersizes and therefore, the consumer must continually monitor the size ofthe wearer to determine which diaper will comfortably and effectivelyfit the wearer. Further, most commercially available diapers are limitedin that they can only effectively be used in one of the above-mentionedconfigurations without any of the benefits attributable to any of theother diaper types. Thus, the consumer must purchase different diapersdepending on the desired characteristics for the intended use.

Conventional diaper designs are generally the least expensive type ofabsorbent article to produce and are generally acceptable for use onbabies and persons who are sick or otherwise confined to a bed. Aconventional diaper is fitted to the wearer by first placing a portionof the diaper under the wearer (generally, the back portion of thediaper is placed under the buttocks and rear waist of the wearer) andthen pulling the remainder of the diaper through the wearer's legs. Therear portion of the diaper is then attached to the front portion of thediaper on each side of the wearer. However, such conventionalconfigurations tend to be very difficult to use when the wearer refusesto remain still throughout the period of application. Further, adultwearers and children in their toilet training stage often find theconventional type absorbent articles difficult to put on themselveswithout assistance.

The "pull-on" design absorbent article is often used in training pantsand incontinence briefs. The "pull-on" design allows the wearer to pullthe absorbent article on as pants and does not require any of thefastening steps of the conventional or belted type absorbent articledesigns. Although this feature is desirable for many adult users andchildren in their toilet training stage, the "pull-on" design isimpractical for many users, especially those bed ridden and smallchildren unable to dress themselves. Pull-on absorbent articlesgenerally lack any features that allow the diaper to be put on, removedor checked for soiling without removal of the diaper and the wearer'souter clothing. Further, such articles often lack features that allowfor convenient, sanitary disposal of the article.

The present invention combines the benefits of a conventional diaperwith those of a "pull-on" type diaper. Further, the diaper of thepresent invention can comfortably and effectively fit a large range ofwearer sizes. These unique characteristics are provided by the inventivecoordination of special ear panels and fastening elements. The earpanels and fastening elements work together to solve the problemsencountered in earlier attempts to provide some of the features of thepresent invention. For example, the present invention can be fitted to awide range of wearers in the conventional configuration and provideexcellent containment and comfort characteristics due to the ability ofthe ear panels to provide a snug fit when fitted to small wearers aswell as a snug comfortable fit to much larger wearers. The refastenablefastening system provides a strong closure that can withstand thedynamic forces created by the motions of the wearer; the forcesgenerally being different depending on the size and age of the wearer.Further, structural design of the diaper provides the user with theopportunity to use the diaper as a pull-on. The unique ear panelsprovide the necessary stretch to effectively accommodate a large rangeof wearers as well as the stretch needed to provide for easy applicationas a pull up diaper. Again, the fastening system complements the earpanels to provide a strong closure, yet still provides a means forremoving the pull-on by opening the closures rather than pulling thediaper down over the hips of the wearer. This makes the removal of asoiled diaper a much quicker and cleaner without the need to remove thewearer's clothing. Furthermore, the refastenable fastening systemprovides a pull-on user with the ability to check for soiling of thediaper by opening one or more of the closures rather than removing thediaper completely. Also, the absorbent article of the present inventioncan easily be configured with a disposal feature (often the fasteningsystem) which provides a convenient, sanitary means for disposing of thesoiled article.

In the past, diapers designs attempting to provide the benefitsdescribed above have been generally unable to solve the problemsassociated with providing a diaper that effectively and comfortably fitsa large range of wearer sizes as well as provides at least two ways inwhich the diaper may be constructed and fit to the wearer. In attemptingto fit a large range of wearers, previous diaper designs (bothconventional and pull-on) have generally been loose and ineffectivecontaining the waste of small wearers while being extremely tight,uncomfortable and unable to withstand the dynamic forces produced bylarge wearers. Further, many pull-on designs lacked any means forchecking the diaper for soiling without removal of the diaper and oftenthe wearer's clothing. Likewise, pull-on designs generally lack anymeans for removing a soiled diaper without having to tear one or moreelements (generally seams) of the diaper which can renders the diaperuseless if checked for soiling. Also, pull-on diapers generally lack anymeans for convenient disposal.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide anabsorbent article having a refastenable fastening system and stretchableear panels designed to allow the absorbent article to be fitted to thewearer in a conventional or "pull-on" configuration.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an absorbentarticle that will effectively and comfortably fit a large range ofwearer sizes in either a conventional or a pull-on configuration.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pull-ondiaper having a means for inspecting the diaper for soiling withoutremoving the diaper from the wearer.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a diaperthat can be fitted to a wearer or removed as a pull-on or a conventionaldiaper.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a diapercapable of being fitted to the wearer in a pull-on configuration havinga convenient, sanitary means for disposal.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more readilyapparent when considered in reference to the following description andwhen taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides absorbent articles such as disposablediapers, incontinent briefs, diaper holders, training pants and thelike, having elastomeric ear panels and a fastening system that providesthe user with different options as to how the absorbent article may befitted to and removed from the wearer. The diaper allows the wearer tochoose between conventional and pull-on diaper configurations, orcombinations thereof. The present invention also provides absorbentarticles that will properly and comfortably fit a large range of wearersizes. The diaper can be pulled on and off as a pant. The ear panelsmaintain sufficient tension to hold the diaper on the wearer throughoutthe period of use without harming the wearer's skin, while providingenough stretch to allow the diaper to be pulled up or down over thewearer's hips. Further, the fastening system is refastenable forconvenience yet strong enough to maintain the diaper in a fastenedconfiguration without becoming detached if the diaper is pulled on oroff the wearer.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an absorbentarticle is provided having a refastenable fastening system allowing theabsorbent article to be fitted to a wearer in a conventionalconfiguration or in a pull-on configuration. The absorbent articleincludes a containment assembly having a rear waist region, a crotchregion, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, an innersurface and an outer surface opposite of the inner surface. Thecontainment assembly preferably comprises a topsheet, a backsheet joinedto the topsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheetand the backsheet. The absorbent article preferably also includes afirst ear panel extending laterally outwardly from one of thelongitudinal edges of the containment assembly in the rear waist region,the first ear panel having a proximal edge joined with the containmentassembly, a distal edge spaced laterally outwardly from the proximaledge, an inner surface, and an outer surface. A second ear panelpreferably extends laterally outwardly from the other of thelongitudinal edges of the containment assembly in the rear waist region,the second ear panel having a proximal edge joined with the containmentassembly, a distal edge spaced laterally outwardly from the proximaledge, an inner surface, and an outer surface. A refastenable mechanicalfastening system is also preferred, including a first ear panel closuremember disposed adjacent the distal edge of the first ear panel, asecond ear panel closure member disposed adjacent the distal edge of thesecond ear panel. The first ear panel closure member and the second earclosure member each have a pair of opposed longitudinal outer edges, apair of opposed lateral outer edges, an outer region comprising thelongitudinal and the lateral outer edges and a central region surroundedby the outer region, the central region having an area, the first earpanel closure member being joined to the first ear panel and the secondear closure member being joined to the second ear panel. The ear panelclosure members are preferably joined to the ear panels with bondsarranged in a bonding pattern having a number of discrete edgemechanical bonds located along at least one of the longitudinal outeredges in at least the outer region, the edge mechanical bonds generallyextending from one of the lateral outer edges to the opposing lateralouter edge. The absorbent article preferably also includes a thirdclosure member disposed in the front waist region on the outer surfaceof the containment assembly. The third closure member is engageable withthe first ear panel closure member and the second closure member so asto define a waist hoop having a relaxed state circumference and a fullystretched circumference. The front flaps are folded such that at least aportion of each of the front ear flaps extends laterally inwardly fromthe longitudinal edge of the containment assembly and are releasablybonded in the folded configuration. The first and second closure membersare disposed at an angel to the longitudinal and lateral centerline ofthe absorbent article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as formingthe present invention, it is believed that the invention will be betterunderstood from the following description which is taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which like designations are used todesignate substantially identical elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a disposable diaper embodiment of the presentinvention having portions cut away to reveal underlying structure, theouter surface of the diaper is facing the viewer;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention having portions cut away to reveal underlying structure, theouter surface of the diaper is facing the viewer;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present inventionin its pull-on configuration;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the front waist regionone embodiment of the present invention having a front ear flap in afolded configuration;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the rear waist regionof one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-C each show an embodiment of a hook member having a differentmechanical bonding pattern;

FIG. 7 is a cut away plan view of one embodiment of an ear panel of thepresent invention comprising differential bonding;

FIGS. 8A-D are partial views of alternative embodiments of an ear paneland structure to which the engaging components of the present inventionmay be joined; and

FIGS. 9A-D are partial views of alternative embodiments of an ear paneland the engaging components joined thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term "absorbent article" refers to devices whichabsorb and contain body exudates, and, more specifically, refers todevices which are placed against or in proximity to the body of thewearer to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from thebody. The term "disposable" is used herein to describe absorbentarticles which are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored orreused as an absorbent article (i.e., they are intended to be discardedafter a single use and, preferably, to be recycled, composted orotherwise disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner). A"unitary" absorbent article refers to absorbent articles which areformed of separate parts united together to form a coordinated entity sothat they do not require separate manipulative parts like a separateholder and liner. A preferred embodiment of an absorbent article of thepresent invention is the disposable absorbent article, diaper 20, shownin FIG. 1. As used herein, the term "diaper" refers to an absorbentarticle generally worn by infants and incontinent persons that is wornabout the lower torso of the wearer. It should be understood, however,that the present invention is also applicable to other absorbentarticles such as incontinence briefs, incontinence undergarments, diaperholders and liners, feminine hygiene garments, training pants, and thelike.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the diaper 20 of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention in its flat-out, uncontracted state (i.e., withelastic induced contraction pulled out) with portions of the structurebeing cut-away to more clearly show the construction of the diaper 20and with the portion of the diaper 20 which faces away from the wearer,the garment facing surface 40, facing the viewer. As shown in FIG. 1,the diaper 20 preferably comprises a containment assembly 22 comprisinga liquid pervious topsheet 24; a liquid impervious backsheet 26 joinedto the topsheet; and an absorbent core 28 positioned between thetopsheet 24 and the backsheet 26. The diaper 20 preferably furthercomprises elasticized leg cuffs 32; an waist features 34; a first earpanel 62; a second ear panel 64; and a fastening system 200 comprising afirst closure member 30, a second closure member 31 and a third closuremember 33. The diaper 20 may also comprise front ear flaps 38, a landingzone reinforcing member 75 and disposal means 77

The diaper 20 is shown in FIG. 1 to have an garment facing surface 40(facing the viewer in FIG. 1), an body facing surface 42 opposed to thegarment facing surface 40, a rear waist region 44, a front waist region46 opposed to the rear waist region 44, a crotch region 48 positionedbetween the rear waist region 44 and the front waist region 46, and aperiphery which is defined by the outer perimeter or edges of the diaper20 in which the longitudinal edges are designated 50 and the end edgesare designated 52. The body facing surface 42 of the diaper 20 comprisesthat portion of the diaper 20 which is positioned adjacent to thewearer's body during use (i.e., the body facing surface 42 generally isformed by at least a portion of the topsheet 24 and other componentsjoined to the topsheet 24). The garment facing surface 40 comprises thatportion of the diaper 20 which is positioned away from the wearer's body(i.e., the garment facing surface 40 is generally formed by at least aportion of the backsheet 26 and other components joined to the backsheet26). As used herein, the term "joined" encompasses configurationswhereby an element is directly secured to the other element by affixingthe element directly to the other element, and configurations wherebythe element is indirectly secured to the other element by affixing theelement to intermediate member(s) which in turn are affixed to the otherelement. The rear waist region 44 and the front waist region 46 extendfrom the end edges 52 of the periphery to the crotch region 48. The rearwaist region 44 comprises two ear panels, the first ear panel 62, andthe second ear panel 64, which typically comprise the outer lateralportions of the rear waist region 44. The front waist region 46 may alsoinclude a pair of front ear flaps designated 38, which typicallycomprise the outer lateral portions of the front waist region 46.

The diaper 20 also has two centerlines, a longitudinal centerline 100and a transverse centerline 102. The term "longitudinal", as usedherein, refers to a line, axis, or direction in the plane of the diaper20 that is generally aligned with (e.g. approximately parallel with) avertical plane which bisects a standing wearer into left and righthalves when the diaper 20 is worn. The terms "transverse" and "lateral",as used herein, are interchangeable and refer to a line, axis ordirection which lies within the plane of the diaper that is generallyperpendicular to the longitudinal direction (which divides the wearerinto front and back body halves).

The containment assembly 22 of the diaper 20 is shown in FIG. 1 ascomprising the main body (chassis) of the diaper 20. The containmentassembly 22 comprises at least an absorbent core 28 and preferably anouter covering layer comprising the topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26.When the absorbent article comprises a separate holder and a liner, thecontainment assembly 22 generally comprises the holder and the liner(i.e., the containment assembly 22 comprises one or more layers ofmaterial to define the holder while the liner comprises an absorbentcomposite such as a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core.) Forunitary absorbent articles, the containment assembly 22 comprises themain structure of the diaper with other features added to form thecomposite diaper structure. Thus, the containment assembly 22 for thediaper 20 generally comprises the topsheet 24, the backsheet 26, and theabsorbent core 28.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the containmentassembly 22 comprises a topsheet 24 and a backsheet 26 which have lengthand width dimensions generally larger than those of the absorbent core28. The topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 extend beyond the edges of theabsorbent core 28 to thereby form the periphery of the diaper 20. Whilethe topsheet 24, the backsheet 26, and the absorbent core 28 may beassembled in a variety of well known configurations, exemplarycontainment assembly configurations are described generally in U.S. Pat.No. 3,860,003 entitled "Contractible Side Portions for DisposableDiaper" which issued to Kenneth B. Buell on Jan. 14, 1975; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,151,092 entitled "Absorbent Article With Dynamic Elastic WaistFeature Having A Predisposed Resilient Flexural Hinge" which issued toKenneth B. Buell et al., on Sep. 29, 1992; each of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

The absorbent core 28 may be any absorbent member which is generallycompressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, andcapable of absorbing and retaining liquids such as urine and othercertain body exudates. As shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent core 28 has agarment-facing side 54, a body-facing side 56, a pair of side edgesdesignated 58, and a pair of waist edges designated 60. One embodimentof the diaper 20 has an asymmetric, modified T-shaped absorbent core 28having ears in the front waist region 46 but a generally rectangularshape in the rear waist region 44. However, the absorbent core 28 may bemanufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular,hourglass, asymmetric, etc.) and from a wide variety of liquid-absorbentmaterials commonly used in disposable diapers and other absorbentarticles such as comminuted wood pulp which is generally referred to asairfelt. Examples of other suitable absorbent materials include crepedcellulose wadding; meltblown polymers including coform; chemicallystiffened, modified or cross-linked cellulosic fibers; tissue includingtissue wraps and tissue laminates; absorbent foams; absorbent sponges;superabsorbent polymers; absorbent gelling materials; or any equivalentmaterial or combinations of materials.

The configuration and construction of the absorbent core 28 may vary(e.g., the absorbent core may have varying caliper zones, a hydrophilicgradient, a superabsorbent gradient, or lower average density and loweraverage basis weight acquisition zones; or may comprise one or morelayers or structures). Further, the size and absorbent capacity of theabsorbent core 28 may also be varied to accommodate wearers ranging frominfants through adults. However, the total absorbent capacity of theabsorbent core 28 should be compatible with the design loading and theintended use of the diaper 20. Exemplary absorbent structures for use asthe absorbent core 28 of the present invention that have achieved wideacceptance and commercial success are described in U.S. Pat. No.4,610,678 entitled "High-Density Absorbent Structures" issued to Weismanet al. on Sep. 9, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,402 entitled "AbsorbentArticles With Dual-Layered Cores" issued to Weisman et al. on Jun. 16,1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,231 entitled "Absorbent Core Having A DustingLayer" issued to Angstadt on Dec. 19, 1989; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,735,entitled "High Density Absorbent Members Having Lower Density and LowerBasis Weight Acquisition Zones", issued to Alemany et al. on May 30,1989. The absorbent core may further comprise the dual core systemcontaining an acquisition/distribution core of chemically stiffenedfibers positioned over an absorbent storage core as detailed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,234,423, entitled "Absorbent Article With Elastic WaistFeature and Enhanced Absorbency" issued to Alemany et al., on Aug. 10,1993; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,345, entitled "High EfficiencyAbsorbent Articles For Incontinence Management" issued to Young, et al.,on Sep. 15, 1992. All of these patents are incorporated herein byreference.

The backsheet 26 is positioned adjacent the garment-facing surface 54 ofthe absorbent core 28 and is preferably joined thereto by attachmentmeans such as those well known in the art. For example, the backsheet 26may be secured to the absorbent core 28 by a uniform continuous layer ofadhesive, a patterned layer of adhesive, or an array of separate lines,spirals, or spots of adhesive. Adhesives which have been found to besatisfactory are manufactured by H. B. Fuller Company of St. Paul,Minn., marketed as HL-1258, and Findley Adhesives Corporation ofWauwatosa, Wis., marketed as Findley 2031. An example of a suitableattachment means comprising an open pattern network of filaments ofadhesive is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,986 entitled "DisposableWaste-Containment Garment", which issued to Minetola et al. on Mar. 4,1986. Another suitable attachment means comprising several lines ofadhesive filaments swirled into a spiral pattern is illustrated by theapparatus and methods shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,173 issued toSprague, Jr. on Oct. 7, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,996 issued to Ziecker,et al. on Nov. 22, 1978; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,666 issued to Wereniczon Jun. 27, 1989. Each of these patents are incorporated herein byreference. Alternatively, the attachment means may comprise heat bonds,pressure bonds, ultrasonic bonds, dynamic mechanical bonds, or any othersuitable attachment means or combinations of these attachment means asare known in the art. Embodiments of the present invention are alsocontemplated wherein the absorbent core is not joined to the backsheet26, the topsheet 24, or both in order to provide greater extensibilitythroughout the diaper 20.

The backsheet 26 is preferably impervious to liquids (e.g., urine) andis preferably manufactured from a thin plastic film, although otherflexible liquid impervious materials may also be used. As used herein,the term "flexible" refers to materials which are compliant and willreadily conform to the general shape and contours of the human body. Thebacksheet 26 prevents the exudates absorbed and contained in theabsorbent core 28 from wetting articles which contact the diaper 20 suchas bedsheets and undergarments. However, the backsheet 26 is preferablybreathable so as to permit vapors to escape from the absorbent core 28while still preventing exudates from passing through the backsheet 26.Thus, the backsheet 26 preferably comprises a woven or nonwovenmaterial, polymeric films such as thermoplastic films of polyethylene orpolypropylene, or composite materials such as a film-coated nonwovenmaterial. A suitable backsheet 26 is a thermoplastic film having athickness of from about 0.012 mm (0.5 mil) to about 0.051 mm (2.0 mils)joined with a nonwoven covering comprising natural or synthetic fibers.If the backsheet 26 is a film, it is preferably embossed and/or mattefinished to provide a more clothlike appearance.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, at least a portion ofthe backsheet 26 is subjected to mechanical stretching in order toprovide both a "zero strain" stretch laminate that forms the portion ofthe backsheet 26 coinciding with the waist feature 34. The backsheet 26can be prestrained by directing the backsheet through an incrementalmechanical stretching system similar to the operation described withrespect to the formation of the "zero strain" stretch laminate backsheetand elasticized ear panels in U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 entitled"Absorbent Article With Dynamic Elastic Waist Feature Having APredisposed Resilient Flexural Hinge", issued to Buell et al., on Sep.29, 1992. Accordingly, the backsheet is preferably elongatable, morepreferably drawable, but not necessarily elastomeric, so that thebacksheet 26 will, upon mechanical stretching, be at least to a degreepermanently elongated such that it will not fully return to its originalundistorted configuration. In preferred embodiments, the backsheet 26can be subjected to mechanical stretching without undue rupturing ortearing. Thus, it is preferred that the backsheet 26 have an ultimateelongation to break of at least 200% to about 700% in the cross-machinedirection as measured using a method consistent with ASTM (AmericanSociety of Testing Materials) D-638. Films suitable for use as thebacksheet 26 generally contain a high content of linear low densitypolyethylene. The Clopay Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio, manufactures asuitable backsheet under the designation 1401. Other suitable materialsfor the backsheet 26 include RR8220 blown films and RR5475 cast films asmanufactured by Tredegar Industries, Inc. of Terre Haute, Ind.

Alternatively, the backsheet 26, or any portion thereof, may comprise astructural elastic-like film (SELF) web. A structural elastic-like filmweb is an extensible material that exhibits an elastic-like behavior inthe direction of elongation without the use of added elastic materials.The SELF web includes a strainable network having at least twocontiguous, distinct, and dissimilar regions. One of the regions isconfigured so that it will exhibit resistive forces in response to anapplied axial elongation in a direction parallel to the predeterminedaxis before a substantial portion of the other region developssignificant resistive forces to the applied elongation. At least one ofthe regions has a surface-pathlength which is greater than that of theother region as measured substantially parallel to the predeterminedaxis while the material is in an untensioned condition. The regionexhibiting the longer surface-pathlength includes one or moredeformations which extend beyond the plane of the other region. The SELFweb exhibits at least two significantly different stages of controlledresistive force to elongation along at least one predetermined axis whensubjected to an applied elongation in a direction parallel to thepredetermined axis. The SELF web exhibits first resistive forces to theapplied elongation until the elongation of the web is sufficient tocause a substantial portion of the region having the longersurface-pathlength to enter the plane of applied elongation, whereuponthe SELF web exhibits second resistive forces to further elongation. Thetotal resistive forces to elongation are higher than the first resistiveforces to elongation provided by the first region.

The strainable web material is preferably comprised substantially oflinear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The strainable web material mayalso be comprised of other polyolefins such as polyethylenes, includinglow density polyethylene (LDPE), ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE),high density polyethylene (HDPE), or polypropylene and blends thereofwith the above and other materials. Examples of other suitable polymericmaterials which may also be used include, but are not limited topolyester, polyurethanes, compostable or biodegradable polymers, heatshrink polymers, thermoplastic elastomers, and breathable polymericstructures. SELF webs suitable for the present invention are morecompletely described in the copending, commonly assigned European PatentApplication WO 9503765 entitled "Web materials Exhibiting Elastic-LikeBehavior", published Feb. 9, 1995 in the names of Chappel et al., whichis incorporated herein by reference.

The size of the backsheet 26 is dictated by the size of the absorbentcore 28 and the exact diaper design selected. In one embodiment, thebacksheet 26 has a modified hourglass shape extending beyond theabsorbent core a minimum distance of about 1 cm to about 5 cm (about 0.5inch to about 2 inch) around the entire diaper periphery.

The topsheet 24 is positioned adjacent the body-facing surface 56 of theabsorbent core 28 and is preferably joined thereto and to the backsheet26 by attachment means such as those well known in the art. Suitableattachment means are described with respect to joining the backsheet 26to the absorbent core 28. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26 are joined directly toeach other in the diaper periphery. The topsheet 24 is preferablycompliant, soft feeling, and non-irritating to the wearer's skin.Further, the topsheet 24 is preferably liquid pervious permittingliquids (e.g., urine) to readily penetrate through its thickness. Asuitable topsheet 24 may be manufactured from a wide range of materials,such as porous foams; reticulated foams; apertured plastic films; orwoven or nonwoven webs of natural fibers (e.g., wood or cotton fibers),synthetic fibers (e.g., polyester or polypropylene fibers), or acombination of natural and synthetic fibers. The topsheet 24 ispreferably made of a hydrophobic material to isolate the wearer's skinfrom liquids which have passed through the topsheet 24 and are containedin the absorbent core 28 (i.e. to prevent rewet). If the topsheet 24 ismade of a hydrophobic material, at least the upper surface of thetopsheet 24 is treated to be hydrophilic so that liquids will transferthrough the topsheet more rapidly. This diminishes the likelihood thatbody exudates will flow off the top sheet 24 rather than being drawnthrough the topsheet 24 and being absorbed by the absorbent core 28. Thetopsheet 24 can be rendered hydrophilic by treating it with asurfactant. Suitable methods for treating the topsheet 24 with asurfactant include spraying the topsheet 24 material with the surfactantand immersing the material into the surfactant. A more detaileddiscussion of such a treatment and hydrophilicity is contained in U.S.Pat. No. 4,988,344 entitled "Absorbent Articles with Multiple LayerAbsorbent Layers" issued to Reising, et al on Jan. 29, 1991 and U.S.Pat. No. 4,988,345 entitled "Absorbent Articles with Rapid AcquiringAbsorbent Cores" issued to Reising on Jan. 29, 1991, each of which isincorporated by reference herein.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least a portionof the topsheet 24 is subjected to mechanical stretching in order toprovide a "zero strain" stretch laminate that forms the waist features34. The topsheet 24 can be prestrained by any methods as are known inthe art including, but not limited to, the methods described herein withrespect to the formation of the "zero strain" stretch backsheet. Thus,the topsheet 24 is preferably elongatable, more preferably drawable, butnot necessarily elastomeric, so that the topsheet 24 will, uponmechanical stretching, be at least to a degree permanently elongatedsuch that it will not fully return to its original configuration. Inpreferred embodiments, the topsheet 24 can be subjected to mechanicalstretching without undue rupture or tearing. Thus, it is preferred thatthe topsheet 24 have a low cross-machine direction (lateral direction)yield strength.

There are a number of manufacturing techniques which may be used tomanufacture the topsheet 24. For example, the topsheet 24 may be anonwoven web of fibers. When the topsheet 24 comprises a nonwoven web,the web may be spunbonded, carded, wet-laid, melt-blown, hydroentangled,combinations of the above, or the like. A suitable topsheet 24 is cardedand thermally bonded by means well known to those skilled in the art. Asatisfactory topsheet 24 comprises staple length polypropylene fibershaving a denier of about 2.2. As used herein, the term "staple lengthfibers" refers to those fibers having a length of at least about 15.9 mm(0.625 inches). Preferably, the topsheet 24 has a basis weight fromabout 14 to about 25 grams per square meter. A suitable topsheet ismanufactured by Veratec, Inc., a Division of International PaperCompany, of Walpole, Mass. under the designation P-8.

The diaper 20 preferably further comprises elasticized leg cuffs 32 forproviding improved containment of liquids and other body exudates. Eachelasticized leg cuff 32 may comprise several different embodiments forreducing the leakage of body exudates in the leg regions. (The leg cuffcan be and is sometimes also referred to as leg bands, side flaps,barrier cuffs, or elastic cuffs.) U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 describes adisposable diaper which provides a contractible leg opening having aside flap and one or more elastic members to provide an elasticized legcuff (gasketing cuff). U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,803 entitled "DisposableAbsorbent Article Having Elasticized Flaps" issued to Aziz et al. onMar. 20, 1990, describes a disposable diaper having "stand-up"elasticized flaps (barrier cuffs) to improve the containment of the legregions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,278 entitled "Absorbent Article Having DualCuffs" issued to Lawson on Sep. 22, 1987, describes a disposable diaperhaving dual cuffs including a gasketing cuff and a barrier cuff. U.S.Pat. No. 4,704,115 entitled "Disposable Waste Containment Garment"issued to Buell on Nov. 3, 1987, discloses a disposable diaper orincontinence garment having side-edge-leakage-guard gutters configuredto contain free liquids within the garment. Each of these patents areincorporated herein by reference. While each elasticized leg cuff 32 maybe configured so as to be similar to any of the leg bands, side flaps,barrier cuffs, or elastic cuffs described above, each elasticized legcuff 32 preferably comprises a gasketing cuff as described in theabove-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 and a barrier cuff as describedin the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,803.

The diaper 20 may also comprise front ear flaps 38 that extend laterallyoutwardly from each longitudinal edge 50 of the containment assembly 22in the front waist region 46. The front ear flaps 38 provide a structurethat the user may hold while fastening the diaper 20 about the wearer ina conventional diaper configuration. The front ear flaps 38 may take ona number of different sizes, shapes, configurations, and materials. Thefront ear flaps 38 may comprise a portion of the material making up oneor more of the diaper elements, including the topsheet 24, and thebacksheet 26. Alternatively, the front ear flaps 38 may comprise aseparate element or a plurality of elements affixed to the diaper.Further, the front ear flaps 38 may comprise extensible ornon-extensible material. Suitable materials for use in the front earflaps 38 include woven webs; nonwoven webs; films, including polymericfilms; foams; laminate materials including film laminates, nonwovenlaminates, or zero strain laminates; formed films; elastomers;composites; structural elastic like-film (SELF) webs or any combinationof materials hereinafter described or as described with respect to theextensible ear panels 62 and 64 as are known in the art. The front earflaps 38 may be joined to the containment assembly 22 by any means asknown in the art; for example the front ear flaps 38 may be continuouslyor intermittently bonded to the containment assembly 22 using adhesive,heat bonding, pressure bonding, ultrasonic bonding, dynamic mechanicalbonding or any other method that is known in the art.

In one preferred embodiment, the front ear flaps 38 are folded as shownin FIG. 4. The folded front ear flaps 38 may be preferred by some userswhen the diaper is used in its pull-on capacity. With the front earflaps 38 in their folded configuration, it is less likely that they willinterfere with the stretch of the ear panels 62 and 64 as the diaper 20is pulled on or off. The front ear flaps 38 may be releasably bonded intheir folded configuration such that they can be extended to their openconfiguration if desired. (As used herein, the term "open configuration"refers to the front ear flaps 38, when they are partially or fullyextended from their folded configuration to extend laterally outwardlyfrom the containment assembly 22.) The releasable bonds may comprise anybonding means as is known in the art, including, but not limited to,those bonding means described above with regard to the front ear flaps38, as well as friction, static or any other bonding means orcombination of bonding means.

The diaper 20 preferably further comprises a waist feature 34 that helpsprovide improved fit and containment. The waist feature 34 may beelastically extensible or inelastic. In preferred embodiments, the waistfeature 34 has at least some ability to expand and contract inconjunction with wearer's motions. The waist feature 34 preferablyextends longitudinally outwardly from at least one of the waist edges 60of the absorbent core 28 and generally forms at least a portion of theend edge 52 of the diaper 20. Disposable diapers are generallyconstructed so as to have two waist features, one positioned in the rearwaist region 44 and one positioned in the front waist region 46,although diapers can be constructed with a single waist feature.Further, while the waist feature 34 or any of its constituent elementscan comprise a separate element affixed to the diaper 20, the waistfeature 34 may be constructed as an extension of other elements of thediaper such as the backsheet 26 or the topsheet 24, preferably both thebacksheet 26 and the topsheet 24.

The waist feature 34 may comprise any material suitable for applicationin a garment to be fitted to a wearer. If the waist feature 34 is to beelastic, any suitable stretchable or elastomeric materials may be used.(As used herein, the term "stretchable" refers to materials that areextensible when forces are applied to the material, and offer someresistance to extension. The terms "elastomeric" or "elasticallyextensible" refer to materials that extend in at least one directionwhen a force is applied to the material, and return to approximatelytheir original dimensions after the force is released.) Suitableelastomeric materials for use as the waist feature 34 are describedhereinbelow with respect to the extensible ear panels 62 and 64.

The waist feature 34 may be constructed in a number of differentconfigurations including those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,595entitled "Disposable Diapers with Elastically Contractible Waistbands"issued to Kievit et al. on May 7, 1985 and the above referenced U.S.Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell; each of these references beingincorporated herein by reference. Further, the waist feature 34 maycomprise "pleats" that may be activated by the diaperer to provideadditional extension in the waist regions. (As used herein, the term"pleats" refers to regions of material that have been folded back uponthemselves such that when an activation force is applied the materialunfolds.)

The diaper 20 additionally comprises a pair of flaps disposed in atleast a portion of the rear waist region 44 such as first ear panel 62and second ear panel 64, as shown in FIG. 1. The ear panels 62 and 64preferably encircle part of the waist of the wearer when the diaper 20is fitted to the wearer. When the diaper is fitted to the wearer in theconventional configuration, the ear panels 62 and 64 extend from therear waist region 44 of the diaper 20 around the wearer's hips to thefront waist region 46 of the diaper 20 where the ear panels 62 and 64are fastened forming the diaper's waist closure. When the diaper 20 isused as a pull-on, the ear panels 62 and 64 are fastened as describedabove to form a pant-like article, as shown in FIG. 3. To fit thepull-on onto the wearer, the wearer's legs are passed through the legopenings and the article is pulled up into position such that the waistfeature(s) 34 and the ear panels 62 and 64 fit snugly about the hips andwaist of the wearer.

Each ear panel is preferably disposed adjacent one of the longitudinaledges 50 of the containment assembly 22, preferably in at least aportion of the rear waist region 44. While it is not necessary that thepair of ear panels be identical, as shown in FIG. 1, they are preferablymirror images of one another. The ear panel(s) 62 and 64 may compriseportions of other elements of the absorbent article or may be separateelements joined with the containment assembly 22. Each of the ear panels62 and 64 have a proximal edge, a distal edge, an inner surface, and anouter surface. For example, the first ear panel 62 has a proximal edge66 disposed adjacent one of the longitudinal edges 50 of the containmentassembly 22 in the rear waist region 44 of the diaper 20 and a distaledge 68 spaced laterally outwardly from the proximal edge 66. The innersurface of each ear panel 62 and 64 is designated 67 and the outersurface of each ear panel is designated 69. As shown in FIG. 1, theouter surface 69 of each ear panel is that surface which faces away fromthe wearer when the diaper is being worn and generally corresponds tothe garment facing surface 40 of the containment assembly 22. As shownin FIG. 1, the inner surface 67 of each ear panel is that surface whichfaces the wearer when the diaper 20 is being worn and generallycorresponds to the body facing surface 42 of the containment assembly.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ear panels 62and 64 are at least partially elastomeric or elastically extensible inthe lateral direction to provide the necessary stretch characteristicsto work effectively as a pull-on article and fit a wide range of usersizes. (The "lateral direction" is defined as the direction parallel tothe transverse centerline 102 of the diaper.) Elastomeric ear panelsalso provide more effective application of the diaper since even if thediaperer fits the diaper to the wearer asymmetrically, the diaper mayself adjust during wear to attain an improved fit. Further, elasticallyextensible ear panels provide improved dynamic fit about the waist ofthe wearer, reducing the possibility of sagging or gapping, andsustaining the fit of the diaper throughout the time of wear.

It has been found that in order for the diaper 20 to work effectively asa pull-on or as a conventional diaper capable of fitting a wide range ofwearers that the ear panels 62 and 64 in conjunction with the waistfeature(s) 34 should provide sustaining forces within a definite rangeat certain waist hoop circumferences. (As used herein, the term"sustaining forces" refers to the inwardly directed forces that hold thediaper against the waist and hips of the wearer so as to reduce saggingor gapping during use. The sustaining force will often be less than theforce needed to stretch the material to the length in which thesustaining force is measured. The term "waist hoop circumference" and"hip hoop circumference" refers to the circumference of the waist of thediaper when it is fully constructed into a pant-like article, eitherbefore being pulled onto the wearer or after being fitted to the wearerin the conventional configuration.) In preferred embodiments, the waisthoop circumference of the diaper 20 in a relaxed state (i.e. having notension applied) is smaller than the waist of the smallest wearer in thesize range. Likewise, the waist hoop circumference of the diaper 20 in afully stretched condition is preferably larger than the circumference ofthe waist of the largest expected wearer in the particular size range.(As used herein, the term "fully stretched" means that the waist hoop ofthe diaper has been stretched to its elastic limit, at which point anyfurther force applied would deform, destroy or otherwise alter thestructure of at least a portion of the material. Alternatively, the term"fully stretched" may refer to the waist of the diaper when the sidepanels have been stretched to a degree that any further stretching wouldbe unacceptable for such a product, generally greater than 3500 grams.)This ensures that the diaper will properly fit all wearers in any sizerange and will function properly as a pull-on/off article.

Preferably, the waist hoop circumference of the diaper 20 in a relaxedstate is between about 280 mm and about 360 mm (These numbers generallycorrespond to medium to large babies.). In a fully stretched condition,the waist hoop circumference is between about 550 mm and about 600 mm.The sustaining force resulting from the waist hoop being fully stretchedis preferably less than about 2000 grams. In preferred embodiments, asshown in below, the sustaining force should be greater than about 250 gwhen the waist hoop is stretched to a circumference of between about 340mm and about 390 mm. (This range of waist hoop circumferences generallyrepresents the waist size of medium wearers, about 6 Kg to about 10 Kg.)Further, in preferred embodiments, the sustaining forces should be lessthan about 2000 g when the waist hoop is stretched to a circumference ofbetween about 510 mm and about 560 mm. (This range represents generallythe bigger waist circumference of medium to large babies.) For adultwearers, the sustaining forces should preferably be between less thanabout 3000 g when the hip hoop circumference is stretched to betweenabout 1000 mm and about 1450 mm.

The following chart includes information relating to preferredembodiments of the absorbent article of the present invention.

    __________________________________________________________________________                                Minimum waist or                                hip circumference of                                absorbent article in its                         Minimum waist                                fully stretched state           Minimum waist or hip when a force of less           (on babies) or                  Maximum                         circumference                                than about 2000 g is    Approximate           hip (on adults)                  waist or hip                         of absorbent                                applied (for babies) or    size or build of           circumference                  circumference                         article in its                                less than about 3000 g    wearer of wearer                  of wearer                         relaxed state                                is applied (for adults)    __________________________________________________________________________    Medium to           340-390 mm                  510-560 mm                         280-360 mm                                550-600 mm    Large Babies    Extra-Large           390-410 mm                  600-640 mm                         300-380 mm                                600-700 mm    Babies    Medium Adults           690-710 mm                  940-960 mm                         550-600 mm                                1000-1200 mm    Large Adults           890-910 mm                  1190-1240 mm                         700-750 mm                                1350-1450 mm    __________________________________________________________________________

Alternatively, the stretch characteristics of the diapers of the presentinvention can be defined in terms of the amount of extension that theside panels 62 and 64 provide while providing certain recovery forces.(As used herein, the term "recovery force" is used to denote the loadwhich can be obtained from the recovery or relaxation curve of astress/strain graph.) Further, it is preferred that each ear panelelastomeric portion also be capable of extending between about 150% andabout 300% when a force of less than about 3000 grams is applied. (Thepercentages described above are calculated by subtracting the relaxedstate length from the extended length, dividing that number by therelaxed state length and multiplying the result by 100%.) In preferredembodiments, each ear panel has an elastomeric portion having a relaxedstate length which is defined as the length of the elastomeric portionof the ear panel measured along an axis that is generally parallel tothe direction of forces to be applied to extend the ear panel. Onceextended, the ear panel elastomeric portion has an extended length whichis defined as the length of the ear panel elastomeric portion measuredalong an axis that is generally parallel to the direction of the forcesapplied to extend the ear panel. When the extension force is released,the panels are allowed to recover, or contract. In preferredembodiments, each side panel elastomeric portion exhibits a recoveryforce of greater than about 250 grams when each panel is extendedbetween about 30% and about 70%.

The ear panels 62 and 64 may take on a number of different sizes,shapes, configurations and materials. The exact length, width andthickness of the ear panels 62 and 64 may vary depending on the intendeduser. The ear panels 62 and 64 may comprise a portion of the materialmaking up one or more of the diaper elements, including the topsheet 24,the backsheet 26, or the waist feature 34. Alternatively, the ear panelsmay comprise a separate element or a plurality of elements joined to thediaper 20. In one preferred embodiment, the ear panels 62 and 64comprise multi-directional extensible side panels. Such side panels aredescribed in detail in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/155/048 entitled "Absorbent Article With Multi-Direction alExtensible Side Panels", filed on Nov. 19, 1993 in the names of MiguelRobles et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The earpanels 62 and 64 may also be extensions of a belt-like element 77 whichincludes both ear panels 62 and 64. The belt-like element 77 preferablyextends across the containment assembly 22 of the diaper 20 andlaterally outwardly therefrom to form the ear panels 62 and 64. Thebelt-like element 77 may be integral with other elements of the diaperor may be a separate element attached thereto. If the belt-like element77 or the ear panels 62 and 64 are separate elements joined to thediaper 20, they can be joined by any by any means as known in the art.Examples of suitable attachment means include adhesive bonding, heatbonding, pressure bonding, ultrasonic bonding, dynamic mechanicalbonding or a combination of any of these means or any other means as areknown in the art.

One elastically extensible material that has been found to be especiallysuitable for use in the ear panels 62 and 64 is a laminate of at leastone coverstock layer joined with an elastomeric film. (As used herein,the term "coverstock" refers to any woven or nonwoven materials.)Examples of suitable coverstock materials are hereinbefore discussedwith respect to the topsheet 24 and the backsheet 26. Other suitablecoverstock materials include nonwovens such as Fiberweb E004203available from Fiberweb North America of Simpsonville, S.C., and Veratec7pt., P-8 and P-14 available from Veratec Nonwoven Group of theInternational Paper Company of Walpole, Wash. Examples of suitableelastomeric films include Clopay 2870, a styrene block copolymeravailable from the Clopay Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Exxon 550available from the Exxon Chemical Company of Lake Zurich, Ill. Examplesof suitable synthetic foams for joining between the coverstock layersinclude: a) crosslinked natural rubber foams preferably having a caliperof approximately 50 mils and a density of approximately 13.3 pounds percubic foot (0.214 grams per cubic cm), such as is available from FulflexInc., of Middletown, R.I., or as available from Ludlow CompositesCorporation of Freemont, Ohio and marketed under the tradename BabyFoam; or b) polyurethane foams having a caliper of approximately 80 milsand a density of approximately 2.06 pounds per cubic foot (0.033 gramsper cubic cm), such as is available from Bridgestone of Yokohama, Japanand marketed under the tradename Bridgestone SG Polyurethane Foam. Othersuitable materials for use as or in the ear panels include structuralelastic-like film (SELF) webs, as described above, natural rubber,natural rubber foams, elastomeric scrims, woven or nonwoven elastomericwebs, elastomeric composites such as elastomeric nonwoven laminates,zero strain stretch laminates, prestrained stretch laminates or thelike. The above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell etal., on Sep. 29, 1992, describes suitable zero strain stretch laminatesand prestrained stretch laminates, and is herein incorporated byreference.

In an alternative embodiment, the side panels 62 and 64 may comprise alaminate including an elastomeric scrim material. In one such preferredembodiment, the ear panels 62 and 64 may comprise a laminate of a scrimlaminated between nonwovens, films, scrims, laminates or anycombinations thereof. Suitable nonwovens include those mentioned above,as well as the carded polypropylene RMS 66265 available from VeratecNonwoven Group of the International Paper Company of Walpole, Wash.; andthe spunbond polyethylene available from Corovin GmbH of Germany underthe trade name COROLIND. A suitable scrim is available from ConwedPlastics under the trade name REBOUND ELASTOMERIC NETTING, havingbetween 2 and 20 strands per inch extending in the machine direction andthe cross-direction. In yet another embodiment, the ear panels 62 and 64may comprise a laminate including a formed film such as X-15301manufactured by Tredegar Film Products, Inc. of Terre Haute, Ind.

One preferred material for the ear panels has a relatively flatstress-strain curve between 50% and 200% elongation to sustain productfit on the baby and make the diaper relatively easy to apply. Onematerial that works especially well is a laminate made with elastomericscrim (TN2510) from Conwed Plastics. The laminate typically consists of3-5 layers, including the scrim. The layers other than the scrimpreferably comprise nonwovens, films or apertured films. The laminatemay be bonded by any means known in the art for joining layers of alaminate. Examples of suitable bonding means include, but are notlimited to, heat, pressure, ultrasound, adhesive, cohesive andcoextrusion. In one especially preferred embodiment, the laminatecomprises differential bond regions which can be achieved by varying theamount or intensity of the bonding means throughout the laminate.Preferably, the differential bonding creates high bond zones 252 near orat the distal and proximal edges 66 and 68 of the ear panels to preventcreep and provide strength in those zones. (As used herein, the term"high bond zones" refers to those areas of the laminate comprising arelatively high frequency of individual bonds, a relatively greaterbonded area or bonds that are relatively stronger than bonds in otherareas of the laminate.) The high bond zones, including distal high bondzone 253 and proximal high bond zone 251 (as shown in FIG. 7), may becompletely bonded or may comprise a relatively high frequency of bondsor large area of bonding. The high bond zones resist creeping andprovide a stronger foundation for any fastening elements that may bejoined thereto. The high bond zones also provide a stronger region forjoining the side panels to the containment assembly 22 if the sidepanels are separate elements. Further, the laminate may comprise lowbond zones 254, such as central low bond zone 255, as shown in FIG. 7,generally disposed between the high bond zones 251 and 253, andgenerally in the center of the ear panels. (As used herein, the term"low bond zones" refers to portions of the laminate comprising arelatively lower frequency of individual bonds, a relatively lesserbonded area or bonds that are relatively weaker than bonds in the highbond zones of the laminate.) The low bond zone(s) 254 may provideincreased breathability as well as better properties for ring rollingthe laminate in those zones. One example of an ear panel comprisingdifferential bonding is shown in FIG. 7, wherein the individual bondsites are designated 250.

The diaper 20 additionally comprises a fastening system 200. Thefastening system 200 permits the user to construct and fit the diaper 20to the wearer in at least two different configurations, a conventionalconfiguration and a pull-on configuration (i.e., the diaper isconvertible). The term "conventional configuration" refers to a diaperthat is fitted to the wearer by placing the rear waist region 44 of thediaper 20 under the back of the wearer, pulling the front waist region46 through the legs of the wearer to the wearer's waist and fasteningthe front waist region 46 to the waist region 44 to form side closuresand to complete construction of the diaper 20. A "pull-on" diaper refersto a diaper that is fitted to the wearer by placing the wearer's legsthrough the leg hole openings and pulling the fully constructed diaperup over the wearer's hips like pants. In either case, the diaper 20 canbe removed by pulling the diaper down in its fully constructedconfiguration or by opening the closures formed by the fastening system200.

The fastening system 200 may comprise any attachment means known in theart including pressure sensitive adhesives, cohesive materials,mechanical fasteners such as hook and loop type fasteners, or anycombination of these or any other attachment means known in the art.Exemplary adhesive tape tab fastening systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,848,594 entitled "Tape Fastening System for Disposable Diaper"issued to Buell on Nov. 19, 1974; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,875 entitled"Absorbent Article" issued to Hirotsu and Robertson on May 5, 1987.Exemplary fastening systems comprising mechanical fastening componentsare described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,247 entitled "Mechanical FasteningProng" issued to Thomas Oct. 22, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,724 entitled"Mechanical Fastening Systems With Adhesive Tape Disposal Means ForDisposal of Absorbent Articles" issued to Scripps on Sep. 26, 1989; andU.S. Pat. No. 4,846,815 entitled "Disposable Diaper Having an ImprovedFastening Device" issued to Scripps on Jul. 11, 1989. An example of afastening system having combination mechanical/adhesive fasteners isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,527 entitled "Pressure-SensitiveAdhesive Fastener and Method of Making Same" issued to Battrell on Aug.7, 1990. Each of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fastening system200 comprises hook and loop type fasteners. As used herein, the term"hook and loop type fasteners" refers to fastening means comprising a"hook" component (hereinafter referred to as an "engaging component")and a complementary loop component (hereinafter referred to as a"landing component"). The term "hook" is used to designate a materialhaving engaging elements. Thus, the hook fastening material may also bereferred to as a male fastener. It should also be understood that theuse of the term "hook" should be non-limiting in the sense that theengaging elements may comprise any shapes as are known in the art solong as they are adapted to engage a complementary landing component.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises an engaging component202 including a hook fastening material preferably having a base 208 anda plurality of engaging elements 206 extending from the base 208. Thehook fastening material is intended to engage fibrous elements of a loopfastening material so as to provide a secure fastening device. Thus, thehook fastening material may be manufactured from a wide range ofmaterials. Further, the engaging elements 206 may have any shape such ashooks, "T's", "mushrooms" or any other shape as are well known in theart. Suitable materials include nylon, polyester, polypropylene, or anycombination of these materials. Examples of preferred hook fasteningmaterials are available from Aplix Inc. of Charlotte, N.C. under thetrade designation 960, 957 and 942. Other preferred hook fasteningmaterials are available from the Minnesota Mining and ManufacturingCompany of St. Paul, Minn. under the trade designations CS200, CS300,MC5 and MC6. Yet another preferred hook fastening material is describedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,247 entitled "Mechanical Fastening Prong" issuedto Thomas Oct. 22, 1991, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The engaging components 202 may be joined to the absorbent article byany suitable means. They may be directly joined with any portion of theear panels 62 and 64, such as the material comprising the inner surfaceof the ear panel 67, or the material comprising the outer surface of thepanel 69, or mounted on some intermediate member, such as a tape tab orother tab member. Examples of different configuration for mounting theengaging component 202 to the ear panels 62 and 64 are shown in FIGS.8A-D. FIG. 8A shows the engaging component 202 joined with a singlelayer of the material comprising the inner surface of the ear panel 67extending outwardly from the distal edge 68 of the ear panel 64. FIG. 8Bshows the engaging component 202 joined with the material comprising theinner surface of the ear panel 67 extending outwardly from the distaledge 68 of the ear panel 64 which is folded over to create at least twolayers. FIG. 8C shows the engaging component 202 joined with a separatematerial 300 joined with the material comprising the inner surface ofthe ear panel 67 extending outwardly from the distal edge 68 of the earpanel 64, forming at least two layers. FIG. 8D shows the engagingcomponent 202 joined with a single layer of a separate material 300joined with the material comprising the outer surface of the ear panel69, the separate material extending outwardly from the distal edge 68 ofthe ear panel 64. The tab or separate material 300 may be of any shapeor size and may comprise any suitable materials, including singlematerials or laminates. Further, the tab or separate material 300 mayhave stretch properties if desirable. Examples of materials which couldbe used as an intermediate tab include films, wovens, and nonwovens, andthe like, or any combination thereof. The tab or the separate material300 may be joined to ear panel by any means known in the art, including,but not limited to heat, pressure, ultrasound, adhesive, cohesive or anycombination of these or other bonding means.

In any of the above-described configurations, it may be desirable tolimit the amount of extensibility of the material to which the engagingcomponent 202 is joined. This is due to the possibility that joining theengaging component 202 to an extensible member may result in theengaging elements 206 and/or the base 208 being separated when a forceis applied, thus reducing their fastening performance. One way to reducethe extensibility of the material to which the engaging component 202 isjoined is to mechanically bond the substrate such that it loses most ofits extension properties and becomes relatively inextensible.Alternatively, coatings may be applied to the substrate or materials maybe chosen which are relatively inextensible. (As used herein, the term"inextensible" generally refers to materials which elongate less than10% when a force of greater than 150 grams/inch is applied and whichelongate less than 20% when a force of greater than 450 grams/inch isapplied.)

The engaging component 202 may be an integral part of the tab or the earpanel, or may be a separate member joined with the tab or ear panel.Preferred means for joining the engaging component 202 to either the tabor the ear include, but are not limited to adhesives, cohesives, heat,pressure, ultrasound or any combination of these or other known bondingmeans. For example, the hook member may be joined to the tab member orthe ear panel with an adhesive as well as a mechanical bond. Mechanicalbonding, or fusion of some form may be used alone, or in combinationwith other bonding means. (The term "mechanical bond" as used herein,refers to bonds formed by means of pressure, ultrasound, heat, laserenergy or any form of energy input which mechanically joins theelements.) In an especially preferred embodiment an adhesive bond isused to join the hook member to the absorbent article, supplemented by amechanical bond.

It has been found that if a mechanical bond is used to join the engagingcomponent 202 to an element of the absorbent article, alone or incombination with other bonding means, the mechanical bond pattern mayaffect the strength of the bond between the engaging component 202 andthe element to which it is joined, as well as the fasteningcharacteristics of the engaging component 202. Mechanical bondingtypically damages at least some of the engaging elements 206 of theengaging component 202, causing some change in the fastening performanceof the component. Thus, it is preferred that a mechanical bond patternis chosen that securely bonds the engaging component 202 to theabsorbent article without damaging too many of the engaging elements206. Suitable results can be achieved by mechanically bonding theengaging component at predetermined locations along at least itslongitudinal outer edges 212 in at least its outer region 220. Inespecially preferred embodiments, the bonding pattern includes bonds ator near each corner of the engaging component 202, as shown in FIGS. 6Aand B. The central region 218 of the engaging component 202 ispreferably generally unaffected by the edge mechanical bonds 210.Examples of acceptable and preferred bond patterns are shown in FIGS.6A-C. The bonding patterns shown in FIGS. 6A and B are particularlyeffective in securely joining the engaging component 202 with theelement to which it is being bonded while minimizing the impact of thecenter mechanical bonds 211 on the engaging elements 206, and thus, theengaging component's overall fastening performance. This type of bondingand fastening performance is important for products such as the diaper20 of the claimed invention in which the fastening elements control themajority of the ear panel when in use. The implication of this controlof the ear panel is that shear and peel forces provided by the movementsof the wearer tend to separate the engaging component 202 from the earpanel or tab to which it is joined. Such forces may also disengage theengaging component 202 from its complementary landing component 204.

The advantages of the bonding patterns shown in FIGS. 6A and B arethought to be due to the relatively large, strong edge bonds 210provided in at least a portion of the outer region 220 of the engagingcomponent 202 along the longitudinal outer edges 212. The patterns shownin FIGS. 6A and B also leave the majority of the engaging elements 206intact in at least the central region 218 of the engaging component 202such that engaging component's fastening performance is notsignificantly jeopardized. The central region 218 of the engagingcomponent 202 comprises that area of the engaging component which issurrounded by the outer region 220 including the longitudinal outeredges 212 and the lateral outer edges 214 and 216. In preferredembodiments, the central region 218 comprises relatively smaller bonds,such as center bonds 211 as shown in FIG. 6B, or alternatively a smallernumber of bonds that are similar in size to the edge bonds 210. In fact,it may be desirable to chose a bond pattern that does not comprise anybonds in the central region 218. In preferred embodiments comprisingcenter bonds 211 which are generally smaller in area than the edge bonds210, the center bonds 211 are preferably less than about 66%, and morepreferably less than about 25% of the size of the edge bonds 210. (Asused herein, the term "area" refers to the plan view area of eachindividual bond as viewed from above.) The center bonds 211 may be usedto help ensure that the central region 218 of the engaging component 202will not be easily unjoined from the underlying structure.

The edge mechanical bonds 210 of the present invention may be of anysuitable size, shape density or configuration. However, in preferredembodiments, as shown in FIGS. 6A and B, the edge mechanical bonds 210are generally elliptical in shape and are oriented such that their majoraxis is nonparallel to either the longitudinal outer edges 212 or thelateral outer edges 214 and 216 of the engaging component 202. It ispreferred that the edge mechanical bonds 210 are generally similar inshape and orientation to one another, creating a bonding pattern thatextends from one lateral outer edge to the other, generally along eachof the longitudinal outer edges 212. (However, embodiments arecontemplated wherein the edge mechanical bonds 210 extend along only onelongitudinal outer edge 212 of each engaging component 202 or the edgemechanical bonds 210 may not extend along the entire longitudinal edge212. In such embodiments it is preferred that the laterally inboardouter region 220 comprises the edge mechanical bond(s) 210.) The bondingpattern preferably comprises a series of edge mechanical bonds 210 in agenerally repetitive pattern. However, it is contemplated that the edgemechanical bonds 210 may comprise a single bond that extends generallyfrom one lateral outer edge to the other. It is preferred that at leasta portion of an edge mechanical bond 210 is located at or near each ofthe corners of the engaging component 202. Further, it may be preferredthat at least a portion of the edge mechanical bond(s) 210 overlap atleast a portion of the structure generally underlying the engagingcomponent 202, as shown in FIG. 6B. The pattern of the edge mechanicalbonds 210 may be the same along each longitudinal outer edge 212 and/orlateral outer edge 214 or 216, or may be different.

In preferred embodiments including center mechanical bonds 211, it ispreferred that the center mechanical bonds 211 are relatively smallerthan the edge mechanical bonds 210, or are less densely concentrated inat least the central region 218. The center mechanical bonds 211 of thepresent invention may be of any suitable size, shape density orconfiguration. However, in preferred embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6B,the center mechanical bonds are generally elliptical in shape. It ispreferred that the center mechanical bonds 211 are generally similar inshape and size to one another, creating a generally repetitive bondingpattern that extends throughout the central region 218. (Embodiments arecontemplated wherein the center mechanical bonds 211 extend at leastpartially into the outer region 220.) In preferred embodiments, thecenter mechanical bonds 211 should occupy less than about 20%, morepreferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 7%of the area of the central region 220. This will assure that the centermechanical bonds 211 do not damage too many engaging elements 206, andthus, will not significantly reduce the effectiveness of the engagingcomponent 202 or the overall fastening system 200.

The percentage of area occupied by the bonds is preferably measured byexamining a representative sample of the engaging component 202 under amicroscope. The sample is viewed under the microscope from directlyabove the side from which the engaging elements 206 extend. The planview area of each of the bonds 210 or 211 is measured. The sum of theareas of the bonds 210 or 211 is divided by the area of the sample. Theresult is expressed as a percentage. This is the percentage of areaoccupied by the bonds 210 or 211.

The landing component 204 preferably comprises a fastening elementengageable with the engaging component 202. Thus, the landing component204 may be manufactured from a wide range of materials andconfigurations capable of securely engaging the engaging component 202.For example, the landing component 204 may comprise identicalcomplementary elements or distinct complementary elements. As usedherein, the term "identical complementary elements" is used to definemechanical fastening systems wherein the engaging elements of theengaging component 202 and the landing component 204 comprise the sameconfiguration or structure. Examples of such systems are described inBrown et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,875 entitled "Two Strip Materials UsedFor Forming Fasteners" issued on Apr. 16, 1982 and Kellenberger et al.U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,179 entitled "Fixed Position Fasteners ForDisposable Absorbent Garments" issued on Oct. 20, 1987. The term"distinct complementary elements" is used herein to designate a systemwherein the engaging component 202 is different from the landingcomponent 204 but is engageable therewith.

In one preferred embodiment, the landing component 204 comprises aplurality of fiber elements, such as a loop fastening material, thatengage the engaging elements 206 of the engaging component 202. The loopfastening material may be manufactured from a wide range of materials toprovide fiber elements, preferably loops. Suitable materials includewoven materials, nonwovens, nylons, polyesters, polypropylenes, or anyother known loop fastening materials or combination of these materials.One suitable loop fastening material is a nonwoven available fromMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn. under thetrade designation EBL. A preferred loop fastening material comprises anumber of shaped engaging elements projecting from a woven backing suchas the commercially available material designated Guilford 18904available from Guilford Mills of Greensboro, N.C. Other suitable landingcomponents are available from the Minnesota Mining and ManufacturingCompany of St. Paul, Minn. under the trade designation KLT. Aninexpensive loop fastening material and a method of making the same isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,122, entitled "Loop Fastening MaterialFor Fastening Device and Method of Making Same" issued to Noel et al.,Jul. 16, 1991, which application is incorporated herein by reference.Another suitable landing component material is described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,326,612 entitled "Nonwoven Female Component for RefastenableFastening Device and Method of Making the Same" issued to David J. K.Goulait on Jul. 5, 1994, which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein. Yet other suitable landing components are described inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/254,814 entitled"Nonwoven Female Component For Refastenable Fastening Device and Methodof Making the Same" filed Jun. 6, 1994 in the names of Patrick Jay Allenet al.; U.S. patent Ser. No. 08/287,571 entitled "Nonwoven FemaleComponent For Refastenable Fastening Device" filed Aug. 9, 1994 in thenames of Willie F. King et al.; and U.S. patent Ser. No. 08/374,269entitled "Female Component For Refastenable Fastening Device" filed Jan.18, 1995 in the names of Carl L. Bergman et al.

The landing component 204 may be joined with the diaper 20 by any meansknown in the art, including but not limited to adhesives, cohesives,heat, pressure, ultrasound, or any combination thereof. Further, thespecific bonding patterns described above with regard to the engagingcomponents 202 may be used to join the landing component(s) 204 to thediaper 20. Preferably, the landing component(s) 204 is joined with thediaper 20 by means of an adhesive bond which may cover any portion ofits backing.

The elements of the fastening system 200 may be disposed on either thegarment facing surface 40 or the body facing surface 42 of the diaper20. In a preferred embodiment, however, the fastening elements aredisposed on the diaper 20 such that the fasteners do not irritate thewearer's skin. In addition, the fastening elements, including theengaging components 202 and the landing component(s) 204 may either bediscrete separate elements affixed to the diaper 20 or unitary elementswhich are neither divided nor discontinuous with another element of thediaper 20, such as the topsheet 24 or the backsheet 26. It should benoted that the engaging components 202 and the landing component(s) 204may be of any shape and size. Further, embodiments are contemplatedwherein the engaging components 202, the landing components 204, or bothare not continuous, but rather include a number of individual membersthat provide the requisite fastening characteristics and to allow forthe best fit for a broad range of wearers.

In many embodiments of the present invention, most of the waist hoopstress is transmitted through the fastening system 200. (As used herein,the term "waist hoop stress" refers to the forces that are created inthroughout the waist regions 44 and 46 of the diaper 20 when the diaperis worn, including the time when the diaper is being fitted to thewearer or being removed.) However, traditional tape tabs and mechanicalfasteners are generally insufficient to control the ear panels or unableto withstand the waist hoop stress forces associated with a diaper thatis designed to be capable of being pulled on or off, even withsupplemental fastening elements. Traditional tape and mechanicalfastening systems generally comprise discrete tabs located and orientedto direct only certain waist hoop stress forces to specificpredetermined regions. Thus, it is generally preferred that the engagingcomponents 202 comprised in the fastening system 200 of the presentinvention control a large portion of each ear panel 62 or 64 adjacentthe distal edges 68. This relatively large area of control provided bythe engaging components 202 (nonlimiting examples of which are shown inFIGS. 1-3) should withstand the waist hoop stress forces normallyassociated with a diaper that is being worn, or one that is being fittedto the wearer or being removed. Ranges of forces that would beconsidered to be normally associated with the use of the diaper of thepresent invention are hereinbefore described with regard to thedifferent waist hoop circumferences.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the longitudinaledges 212 of the engaging components 202 may be generally parallel withthe longitudinal centerline 100 of the absorbent article, as shown inFIG. 2, or may be at an angle to the longitudinal centerline 100, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Providing the engaging components 202 at anangle to the longitudinal centerline 100 of the absorbent article has atleast two benefits. (An alternative to angling the engaging components202 is to fasten the engaging components 202 to their correspondinglanding components 204 at an angle.) When the engaging components 202are angled, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, at least a portion of thelongitudinal outboardmost end 214 is laterally inboard of thelongitudinal inboardmost end 216. The line parallel to the laterallyinboardmost longitudinal edge 212 is hereinafter referred to as the"closure member major axis A". In this configuration, the engagingcomponents 202 are located such that skin marking on the upper thigh isgenerally avoided, despite the motions of the wearer. Further, keepingthe longitudinal outboardmost ends 214 separated laterally helps keepthe chassis 22 to maintain proper fit during use. Also, with thisapproach, the entire fastener can fit into and not straddle the wearer'sleg crease, as angled tapes do which risks skin marking.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 9A-D, the first and second closuremembers, 30 and 31, may each comprise more than one engaging component.Further, the engaging components 202 may be similar or different in sizeand/or shape. In preferred embodiments, the multiple engaging componentsshould be arranged to gain the benefits described above with regard tothe single angled engaging components 202. Thus, the "closure membermajor axis A" in multi-component embodiments is drawn between thelaterally inboardmost points of each engaging component 202. The closuremember major axis A will be nonparallel to the longitudinal centerline100 of the absorbent article. In preferred embodiments, the closuremember major axis A will converge toward the longitudinal centerline 100as it moves away from the lateral centerline 102 of the absorbentarticle toward the end edge 52 in the rear waist region 44 (when in aflat out configuration). In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9D,the engaging component 202 may be a single member with curved ornonuniform longitudinal outer edges 212. In such embodiments, it ispreferred that the closure member major axis A be drawn between the twolaterally inboard most points of the laterally inboardmost longitudinalouter edge 212. Preferably, as described above, the closure member majoraxis A will converge toward the longitudinal centerline as it moves awayfrom the lateral centerline 102 of the absorbent article toward the endedge 52 in the rear waist region 44 (when in a flat out configuration).

As shown in FIG. 2, the fastening system 200 of the present inventionpreferably comprises a first ear panel closure member 30, a second earpanel closure member 31, and a pair of third closure members 33. Thefirst ear panel closure member 30 preferably comprises an engagingcomponent 202 and is preferably disposed adjacent the first ear panel'sdistal edge 68 on the inner surface 67. The first ear panel closuremember 30 may either be a discrete separate element affixed to thediaper 20 or a unitary piece of material that is neither divided nordiscontinuous with an element of the diaper 20. When the diaper 20 isconstructed, the second ear panel closure member 31 engages one of thethird closure members 33 to fasten the rear waist region 44 to the frontwaist region 46.

The second ear panel closure member 31 preferably comprises an engagingcomponent 202 and is preferably disposed adjacent the second ear panel'sdistal edge 68, on the inner surface 67. The second ear panel closuremember 31 may either be a discrete separate element affixed to thediaper 20 or a unitary piece of material that is neither divided nordiscontinuous with an element of the diaper 20 such as the topsheet 24.When the diaper 20 is constructed, the second ear panel closure member31 engages one of the third closure members 33 to fasten the rear waistregion 44 to the front waist region 46. (It should be noted that eitheror both of the ear panel closure members 30 or 31 may be disposed on theouter surface 69 of the ear panels so long as at least a portion of thefastening surface of the closure member faces the same direction as theinner surface 67 of the ear panel(s) 62 or 64. As used herein, the term"fastening surface" refers to the surface of a fastening element that isengageable with the fastening surface of another fastening element orany other surface of any element of the diaper.)

The third closure member 33 preferably comprises at least one landingcomponent 204 disposed in the front waist region 46. The third closuremember 33 is preferably a separate element disposed on the garmentfacing surface 40 of the diaper 20 such that the fastening surface facesthe wearer. However, embodiments are contemplated wherein the thirdclosure member 33 is unitary with elements making up the front waistregion 46 or other elements of the diaper 20, such as the topsheet 24.In one preferred embodiment, the third closure member 33 comprises atleast two separate discrete patches or areas in the first waist region46. Examples of preferred configurations of the present inventioncomprising two landing components 204 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Suchconfigurations can help to ensure a proper waist circumference andproper tensioning for the diaper to perform as either a conventionaldiaper or a pull-on. Another means for assuring proper tensioning andfit can be provided by the use of a single third closure member 33 withindicia indicating the proper positioning of each of the ear panelclosure members 30 and 31 thereon. (Discrete individual landingcomponents 204, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, may also be provided withindicia thereon.)

The third closure member(s) 33 may take on any suitable shape or size.In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the third closure 33member comprises two distinct landing components which are generally inthe shape of parallelograms. In such embodiments, it may be desirablefor the landing components 204 comprised in the third closure member 33to be configured such that their major axis is at an angle to both thelongitudinal centerline 100 and the lateral centerline 102 of theabsorbent article. It is preferred that the major axis of the landingcomponents 204 be angled laterally outwardly as it extends away from thelateral centerline 102 towards the end edge 52 in the front waist region46. It is also preferred that the landing components 204 of the thirdclosure member 33 be configured so as to correspond to the angle of thefirst and second closure members 30 and 31 when the diaper is fastenedabout the wearer. This ensures that a sufficient portion of each closuremember engages with each corresponding landing component. (Embodimentsare contemplated, however, wherein the first and second closure members30 and 31 are not necessarily configured such that they correspond tothe angle of the landing component(s) 204. In such cases, the diapereris left with the flexibility to fasten the fastening system 200 suchthat the engaging components 202 completely overlap the landingcomponent(s) 204 or not.)

The present invention also preferably comprises a reinforcing member 75.The reinforcing member 75 is preferably disposed in the first waistregion 46 for the purpose of adding strength to the diaper 20 in thefirst waist region 46. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1,the reinforcing member 75 is preferably disposed at least partiallycoincident with the third closure member(s) 33. (As used herein, theterm "coincident" refers to elements of the diaper that in some waytouch or overlap. It should be noted, however that the term is notlimited to those elements that are in direct contact with one another.Thus, embodiments are contemplated wherein the coincident elements areseparated by one or more layers between the elements.) The reinforcingmember 75 may help prevent the backsheet 26 of the diaper from tearingor deforming when the elements of the fastening system 200 aredisengaged. (As used herein, the term "disengaged" refers to thefastening system 200 elements when they are not in contact with eachother.) Accordingly, the reinforcing member 75 may help to ensure thatthe fastening system 200 maintains its ability to be refastened or usedmore than once, and preferably many times. The reinforcing member 75 mayalso act to help prevent the first waist region 46 from collapsing orrolling over when the diaper is being worn, thus, ensuring a better fitthroughout the duration of use.

The reinforcing member 75 can be a separate member or members joinedwith the diaper 20 or an integral part of one or more of the elements ofthe diaper 20 in at least the first waist region 46. Further, thereinforcing member 75 may take on any size or shape and may be disposedon the inner or outer surface of the backsheet 26, on the inner or outersurface of the topsheet 24, or joined to any other element of the diaper20 in at least the first waist region 46. The reinforcing member 75 maycomprise any materials that will provide the reinforcing characteristicsdesired by the user, including, but not limited to, woven material,nonwoven material, films, foams, glues, coatings, mechanical or chemicalalterations of any element(s) of the diaper, or any combination of theabove.

The diaper 20 is may be applied to the wearer in a conventionalconfiguration. To do so, the rear waist region 44 is preferably placedunder the wearer's back. The remainder of the diaper 20 is preferablythen drawn between the wearer's legs such that the other waist region,preferably the front waist region 46, is positioned across the front ofthe wearer. The diaperer preferably then grasps the first ear panel 62or the second ear panel 64, or both and wraps them around the waist ofthe wearer. The diaperer then engages the first closure member 30disposed on the inner surface 67 of the first ear panel 62 and thesecond ear panel closure member 31 disposed on the inner surface 67 ofthe second ear panel 64 with the third closure member 33 disposed on thegarment facing surface 40 of the containment assembly 22 in the frontwaist region 46. This forms a waist closure on each side of the wearerand completes the construction of the diaper in a conventionalconfiguration.

Alternatively, the diaper may be fitted to the wearer in a pull-on, orpant configuration. The diaper may be constructed generally as statedabove before the diaper is placed on the wearer. Accordingly, thediaperer engages the first closure member 30 disposed on the innersurface 67 of the first ear panel 62 and the second ear panel closuremember 31 disposed on the inner surface 67 of the second ear panel 64with the third closure member 33 disposed on the garment facing surface40 of the containment assembly 22 in the front waist region 46. Thisforms a pant-like article having a waist hoop and a pair of legopenings. In this configuration, the wearer's legs are directed throughthe leg openings. Once the wearer's legs are through the leg openings,the diaper can then pull the waist hoop of the diaper up over thewearer's hips such that the waist hoop encircles the waist of thewearer. (It should be noted that the wearer may be the diaperer in somecases, especially when the wearer is a child in the toilet trainingstage or when the wearer is an adult.)

Of course, the diaper of the present invention may be fitted to thewearer in any other suitable manner, including a combination of thesteps described above with regard to the conventional and pull onembodiments. In any configuration, the refastenable fastening system 200of the present invention provides the user with easy access to inspectthe diaper 20 for soiling. Further, the fastening system 200 gives theuser the option as to how the diaper 20 will be removed. The diaper 20can be removed by pulling the diaper 20 down and off the wearer withoutdisengaging the elements of the fastening system 200, or by disengagingat least one of the engaging components 202 form its correspondinglanding component 204 and removing the diaper 20 from around thewearer's waist.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An absorbent article having a refastenablefastening system allowing the absorbent article to be fitted to a wearerin a conventional configuration or in a pull-on configuration, alongitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, the absorbent articlecomprising:a) a containment assembly having a rear waist region, acrotch region, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, abody facing surface and a garment facing surface opposite of said bodyfacing surface, said containment assembly comprising a topsheet, abacksheet joined to said topsheet, and an absorbent core positionedbetween said topsheet and said backsheet; b) an elastomeric first earpanel extending laterally outwardly from one of said longitudinal edgesof said containment assembly in said rear waist region, said first earpanel having a proximal edge joined with said containment assembly, adistal edge spaced laterally outwardly from said proximal edge, an innersurface, and an outer surface; c) an elastomeric second ear panelextending laterally outwardly from the other of said longitudinal edgesof said containment assembly in said rear waist region, said second earpanel having a proximal edge joined with said containment assembly, adistal edge spaced laterally outwardly from said proximal edge, an innersurface, and an outer surface; d) a pair of front ear flaps disposed insaid front waist region juxtaposed said longitudinal edges of saidcontainment assembly, each of said front ear flaps comprising at leastone fold, said front flaps being folded such that at least a portion ofeach of said front ear flaps extending laterally inwardly from saidlongitudinal edge of said containment assembly, and said flaps beingreleasingly bonded in a folded configuration; and e) a refastenablemechanical fastening system comprising:i) a first closure memberdisposed adjacent said distal edge of said first ear panel; ii) a secondclosure member disposed adjacent said distal edge of said second earpanel;said first closure member and said second closure member eachhaving a pair of longitudinal outer edges, said first closure member andsaid second closure member each being disposed at an angle to saidlongitudinal centerline and said lateral centerline of the absorbentarticle, said first closure member and said second closure member eachhaving a closure member major axis, said closure member major axis beingat an angle to said longitudinal and said lateral centerline of theabsorbent article, said first closure member and said second closuremember each comprising at least two engaging elements, and iii) a thirdclosure member disposed in said front waist region on said garmentfacing surface of said containment assembly, said third closure memberbeing engageable with said first closure member and said second closuremember so as to define a waist hoop having a relaxed statecircumference.
 2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said waisthoop exhibits a recovery force of greater than about 250 grams when saidwaist hoop circumference is between about 340 mm and about 390 mm. 3.The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said waist hoop relaxedcircumference is between about 280 mm and about 360 mm and said fullystretched circumference is between about 550 mm and about 600 mm when aforce less than about 2000 grams is applied.
 4. The absorbent article ofclaim 1 wherein said waist hoop relaxed circumference is between about300 mm and about 380 mm and said fully stretched circumference isbetween about 600 mm and about 700 mm when a force less than about 2000grams is applied.
 5. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said waisthoop relaxed circumference is between about 550 mm and about 750 mm andsaid fully stretched circumference is between about 1000 mm and about1450 mm when a force less than about 3000 grams is applied.